One of the more controversial moments in the music industry in the 2000s occurred 17 years ago when the Dixie Chicks lead singer, Natalie Maines, commented on George W. Bush’s invasion of Iraq and how they were “ashamed” he was from the state of Texas. Those comments led to massive backlash towards the group, even as far as death threats.
While performing in the United Kingdom in 2003, Maines took to the mic to offer her criticism of what was going on in America, “We do not want this war, this violence. And we’re ashamed the president of the United States is from Texas.”
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Ahead of their newest album and first in 14 years, Maines spoke to Allure, where the band will be featured on the cover with a story headlined, “The Price of Being Genuine,” about all that transpired from her brash remarks, noting that she wouldn’t change anything about it.
“I have no regrets, but the responsible part of me doesn’t want to put people through s—,” she said.
Fellow band member Emily Strayer chipped in by saying Maines could’ve worded it “smarter or different.”
“But when I think back, it’s like that movie Sliding Doors, right? Where would we be today if I hadn’t said that? That’s interesting. I really don’t know if I would take it back,” said Maines, who responded to Strayer by saying she did wish it was a little smartly-worded.
Her public statement didn’t create a divide in the group, although Strayer she was “mad” for a very short amount of time, “for five seconds in the elevator,” she clarified.
Maines then went on to answer a question about whether or not she feels the band is accepted in the country music industry. After all, when their first album after the Bush comments came out in 2006, not many country stations played any of the songs of their airwaves.
“We always waved that country flag when people would say it wasn’t cool. And then to see how quickly the entire industry turned on us … I was shocked that people thought that we were different than what we were,” said Maines, who added the band is “absolutely not” country. “I always felt like we were so genuine.”
The album, which is called Gaslighter, is set to release on May 1. The title track was released as a single on March 4, their first one since 2007. The group was featured in a collaboration on Taylor Swift’s Lover album with the song “Soon You’ll Get Better.”
